本研究的主要目的，在探討議題中心教學法對國小學生批判思考能力的影響，以及了解議題中心教學在國小的適用性，以作為社會領域教學之參考。 本研究採不相等實驗組控制組設計，樣本取自台北縣實踐國民小學六年級普通班兩班學生，其中一班為實驗組36名，另一班為控制組36名，共72名。實驗組學生參加為期一學年（每週一次，每次八十分鐘）由研究者實施的議題中心教學法課程，控制組則否。兩組學生於實驗教學前後各接受一次「康乃爾批判思考測驗（X）級」以了解其批判思考能力的改變情形。實驗組學生並接受「議題中心教學法意見調查」以反應其對議題中心教學法的接受度與建議。 本研究主要發現如下： 一、實驗組學生在批判思考測驗後測之「總分」及「歸納」分測驗，顯著優於控制組學生，顯示議題中心教學法能提昇國小學生整體批判思考能力及歸納能力。至於「演繹」、「考察訊息可信度（觀察）」及「確認隱含的假設」能力，兩組的差異則未達顯著水準。 二、組別與家庭社經背景的交互作用中，批判思考測驗總分達到顯著差異，顯示低社經背景的實驗組學生的批判思考顯著優於控制組。組別與社會科學業成就的交互作用中，批判思考測驗總分及各分量表皆未達到顯著差異，顯示在高中低社會科學業成就的實驗組學生的整體批判思考及分項能力未顯著優於控制組。社會科學業成就變項在批判思考總分及其分測驗均達顯著差異，顯示社會科學業成就變項顯著影響批判思考能力。 三、學生對本研究所設計的議題中心教學模式持正面的評價，他們認為這種教學模式可以提昇自己的表達能力及對社會科的學習興趣。學生最喜歡討論的議題依順序是：1.複製人行不行？2.哈日風3.你贊成興建核四嗎？4.你贊成網路結交朋友？5.你贊成馬考族人獵鯨嗎？ 綜合而言，議題中心教學法能提昇國小學生批判思考能力並且獲得實驗組學生的喜愛。根據上述發現進行討論並提出若干建議，供教學實務及未來研究上的參考。

　　　　　This study has two major purposes: First, to explore the impact of the issues-centered approach on critical thinking. Second, to investigate the students’ opinions about the issues-centered approach. Pretest-posttest control group design was used in this study. The sample was composed of 72 six-grade students selected from Shi Jian Elementary School in Taipei city. The students were assigned into control and experimental groups. The experimental groups attended the issues-centered social studies curriculum two teaching hours per week for a school year, while the control group did not receive any experimental treatment. The quantitative data included (1) the Revised Test of Conell Critical Thinking (Level X), which was applied to the experimental and control groups for pre and post tests. (2）Issues-Centered Approach Evaluation which was applied to the experimental group after the intervention. The major findings were as below: First, the experimental group’s total and “induction” scores of Critical Thinking Test were significantly higher than the control group, while the two groups’ scores of “deduction”, “credibility” (observation),” and assumptions” did not show significant differences. Second, the effects of the interaction between the groups and social economic status (SES) on Critical Thinking Test was significantly different. The students with low SES background in the experimental group got higher score of Critical Thinking than the students with low SES background in the control group. However, the interaction between the groups and social studies academic achievement on the total and the sub-test scores of Critical Thinking Test did not show significant differences. . Students with different social studies academic achievement showed significantly different critical thinking ability. Third,, the students had high appraisal of the issues-centered program. They indicated that the issues-centered approach promoted their expression ability and the learning interest of the social studies. The students ranked order of their favorite issues as follows: 1. Human cloning. 2. Do you agree to be a Japanese as follows: 1. Human cloning. 2. Do you agree to be a Japanese fashion follower? 3. Should Taiwan build the fourth nuclear power plant? 4. Do you agree with making friends through the internet? 5. Cultural reservation and ecological protection Finally, the study provided several suggestions for social studies teaching and further studies.